DISCLAIMER:  I do not own any locations, characters, or names associated with Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy X-2.  I do, however, own this story J

Author's Notes:  Okay, in this chapter Shuyin makes the biggest mistake of his life.  This is also the first chapter he sees Vegnagun but that machina isn't the big mistake I'm talking about although using that thing is pretty damn stupid.  The mistake I'm talking about will set everything in motion.  See if you can pick it out.  If not, it'll be spelled out blatantly later.

Below is chapter 13.  Leave a review and let me know what you think J

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SILVER WINGS

by akksgurl

Chapter Thirteen:  Deadly Confession

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"I'm sorry sir, but President Ackmard is busy at the mome…"

"I don't give a shit what Reiber is doing." Shuyin hissed at the middle aged secretary that barred his entrance to Reiber Ackmard's office, "Tell him that Shuyin Bacohl demands to see him."

The woman raised her nose at him and replied, "I'm sorry sir, but President Ackmard is busy at the moment.  You'll have to wait your turn…"

Shuyin glared at the woman and then proceeded to storm around her and kick the door to Reiber's office open.  The president was sitting at his desk staring blankly at a cup of coffee when the sudden visitor shook him from his thoughts.  Reiber's eyes widened in surprise and then his mouth formed a smile, "Shuyin!  What a pleasant surprise."

"Save it, Reiber.  I'm not here for pleasantries." 

Reiber stiffened a little and motioned for his secretary – who had followed Shuyin – to leave the two alone.  The woman nodded and pulled the door shut as she left.  Reiber rose from his chair and walked to the other side of his desk where he leaned, "What's going on, Shuyin?"

"Two days ago Allyn was spying on me as I made love to my girlfriend.  I caught Allyn who proceeded to threaten my girlfriend," Shuyin's face took on a pained look, "Yesterday my girlfriend was brutally attacked and almost stabbed to death by someone.  The police think it was a robbery although all the person took were cheap vases and some pictures."

Reiber stood and put his hands on his hips, "Am I to assume that you think my daughter had something to do with it?"

"Yes," Shuyin replied, his eyes fixing coldly on the man in front of him, "That's exactly what you're supposed to think."

The silence between them seemed almost threatening in itself.  Shuyin knew that Reiber thought Allyn could do no wrong.  Shuyin had thought that too…a long time ago.  Coming here and telling the president of the country that wanted to destroy his hometown that he thought his daughter was capable of committing some sort of atrocity was a huge risk, but it was one that Shuyin was willing to take.

Reiber Ackmard's entire body tensed as he hissed, "First of all, Shuyin, I didn't even realize you had a girlfriend.  Allyn told me that there was some girl you liked.  I didn't realize it was serious."

Shuyin scoffed, "Of course Allyn spins the truth her way.  Typical…"

Reiber scowled, "Secondly," he continued with a stern tone, "Allyn came here two nights ago and has been here since."

"She must have gotten one of your soldiers to do it." Shuyin declared, "That is the only reasonable explanation."

Reiber let out a laugh, "There are plenty of other explanations, Shuyin." The president shrugged, "I'm sorry about your girlfriend.  I certainly hope she'll be okay, but Allyn didn't have anything to do with it.  She has no control over this army.  Most of my men don't even know who she is since she's been living in Zanarkand." Reiber leaned forward and put his hands on his knees, "Allyn didn't have your girlfriend stabbed."

A crash came from behind Shuyin and the blitzer spun to find Allyn standing there, shaking with broken cups, plates, and food on the floor at her feet – the remnants of tea and cookies for her father.  Allyn's green eyes seemed shocked and horrified as she asked, "Lenne was stabbed?"  Allyn stepped over the mess at her feet as if she didn't care and rushed over to Shuyin, "Is she okay?"

Shuyin scoffed, "Like you care."

A flash of hurt appeared in Allyn's eyes and Shuyin felt guilt at dismissing her so coldly, "I may hate her, Shuyin, but I'd never want her hurt."

"Well she is hurt.  She's laying in ICU with tubes and IV's and…" Shuyin turned away as the tears came to form behind his eyes.  He wiped them away with the back of his hand before turning back to her, "You threaten her and she's attacked.  Explain that!"

"I didn't do it, if that's what you're suggesting."

Shuyin sneered at her, "I know that you wouldn't do it.  What I want to know is who did you pay to do it?"

"Do you really think that little of me?" Allyn asked, "Do you really think that I'd pay to have Lenne murdered?"

The look in her eyes caused Shuyin to collapse in the chair behind him.  Allyn seemed genuinely concerned about Lenne.  Allyn wasn't a good actress and couldn't fake being upset if she really wasn't.  Besides, Allyn would have wanted Lenne to leave of her own accord instead of dying.  Shuyin sighed, "No." he replied, "I'm sorry.  I'm just…"

Allyn put a comforting hand on his knee, "I know you're upset." Shuyin looked up at her and she gave him a smile, "I'll give you a tour of the compound.  It'll help you get your mind off of things for a while.  What do you say?"

"If it's okay with Reiber…"

Allyn grinned, "It's fine.  Come on."

Shuyin followed Allyn out of the side door to the office that she used to bring the tea.  The secretary was now cleaning up the mess as Allyn motioned for him to follow her to the right in a small hallway just outside of the door.  Another left took them out to the temple where Allyn and he got on an elevator and went down the bowels of the castle.  She looked at him, "I want to take you to see the secret weapon that nobody wants to use."

"Secret weapon?"

Her voice echoed off of the walls as Allyn said, "It was built to use in the war that Daddy keeps saying is inevitable.  It's too powerful though.  Nobody wants to use it."

Allyn pulled open the door and motioned toward the gigantic machina that stood before them.  Shuyin let out a gasp as his eyes caressed the colossus.  It was almost as big as the room they were in and it appeared to almost have a face.  A deep copper color, this machina was the most beautiful thing Shuyin had seen – with the exception of Lenne.  His mouth opened and closed for a moment before he said, "What is this thing?"

"Vegnagun." Allyn replied, "It's has enough firepower to wipe Zanarkand off of the planet.  I think that's the reason nobody wants to use it.  Vegnagun is infinitely hard to control.  Daddy acts like it has a mind of its own."

Shuyin took a step closer to it and said, "Is that why there are so many security spheres and guards around?"

"Yeah," Allyn said, nodding, "I'm allowed down here since I'm Reiber's daughter but nobody is allowed to touch it."

"How would you even use something like that?"

Allyn pointed to a piano like object on top of what appeared to be Vegnagun's head, "See that keyboard?  You play the notes listed in the correct order and Vegnagun springs to life.  They made it so that only people with piano skills could use it."  She smiled at him, "I probably shouldn't have told you that, though.  You are the enemy and your mother did make you take those piano lessons when you were a kid."

Shuyin laughed, "I doubt I'd remember much anyway.  I haven't played in years."

"I heard it's like riding a bike." She replied, "You never forget."

She caught Shuyin's eye and the two stared at each other for a few minutes before Shuyin broke contact, "I should get back to the hospital."

Allyn nodded, "I suppose you should." She smiled at him and touched his shoulder gently, "I'm going to stay here for a bit, but I'll be thinking about you.  I'm sure she's going to be fine."

"Thanks Allyn."

"Can I ask you something before you leave?" Allyn questioned, grabbing Shuyin's arm to keep him from leaving.

Shuyin cocked an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"This may not be the most appropriate time to ask this," Allyn admitted with a shrug, "but I'm curious anyway." She smiled at him and asked, "If Lenne wasn't in the picture, would you come back to me eventually?" she placed a firm hand on his chest, "I'm not hoping she'll die, mind you.  This is strictly hypothetical.  Like, if she left tomorrow and I was still around…"

Shuyin's blue eyes scanned the room for a moment and then locked with Allyn's green orbs before whispering, "Probably."

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After Shuyin was safely on the hover back to Zanarkand, Allyn focused on her next mission.  Stalking angrily down the hallway to the military compound, she shoved the door open and glared at the two soldiers talking with Benedict Cyton, "Get the hell out!  I have business with the commander."


Benedict motioned with his hand and dismissed his troops.  Once the two men had scurried out and shut the door, he turned his deadly black eyes on Allyn and gave her a smirk, "What can I do for you, Miss. Ackmard?"

"Don't 'Miss. Ackmard' me you fiend!" Allyn shrieked as she approached Benedict, "I told you to scare Lenne.  I told you to bust into her house, smack her around a little, act like it was because Shuyin was involved in some organized crime thing so she'd leave Zanarkand." Allyn's frame shook and she pounded her fists on the desk in front of Benedict as she screamed, "I didn't tell you to practically DECAPITATE her!!!"

Benedict smiled slightly and stood to walk around his desk and closer to Allyn, "I didn't decapitate her, Allyn.  I simply took your orders and expanded upon them so that it would help you more."

"How is having that little bitch in the hospital with Shuyin here to accuse me of trying to kill her helping me?!"

Benedict patted Allyn on the head condescendingly, "If I just smacked her around a little, she wouldn't leave.  She'd talk to Shuyin and then they'd just have sex again to make up."  Benedict's black hair seemed almost blue in the light as he turned his back on Allyn and said, "Even if she did leave, he'd just run after her."

"He didn't run after me!  Why would he run after her?"

Benedict laughed, "First of all, Allyn, Lenne wouldn't be leaving for another man which is the precise reason Shuyin didn't come after you.  Secondly, he loves Lenne.  I'm betting what he felt for you was below the belt."

The sting of her hand connecting with his cheek sent chills down Allyn spine and her blood almost stopped cold when he looked at her.  Her green eyes spat fire as she hissed, "Shuyin loved me.  Shuyin loves me.  We're going to be together forever and that's the way it's going to be."

Benedict cackled, "Whatever.  Live in fantasy land if you want." He turned his back to her and walked around his desk again, "I helped you in the long run anyway, so when do I get my reward?"

Allyn scoffed, "How did you help me?"

"You can show concern for the pretty little songstress." Benedict replied, "If she lives, Shuyin will be grateful for the concern you showed her.  If she dies, Shuyin will want someone's shoulder to cry on.  Either way, you've got an in."

"But I am concerned about her." Said Allyn, "The girl is probably going to die because of you."

Benedict shook his pointer finger, "Uh, uh, uh…" he said, "Not because of me, dear.  Because of you.  You're the one that got me involved."

"But I didn't want you to…"

Benedict was in front of her in a flash and he placed a finger under her chin to tilt her eyes to meet his, "We can't change the past, Allyn.  Just make the most of a bad situation and turn it to your advantage.  You're a smart girl and I'll help you again if you want me to."

"And the next time you help me, you will follow my instructions exactly."

Benedict nodded, "Absolutely, my dear." He said soothingly, "Now, I'd like my reward now."

"You really don't deserve it." Replied Allyn.

Benedict's eyes flashed and he placed both of his hands on her shoulders and pushed her roughly to her knees, "I said I want my reward," he hissed as he lowered his zipper, "Either you give me what you promised me, or I tell Shuyin the truth."

Allyn growled, "Fine, but if you do something stupid again then next time, I use my teeth.  Are we clear?"

"Crystal…" Benedict replied, "Crystal clear."

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Author's Note:  I'm currently toying with the idea of having a "Silver Wings 2".  It would take place after FFX-2 (since we all know what happened during that time) and therefore be a FFX-3 story.  It would focus on Tidus, Yuna, and the others from FFX and FFX-2 and how Tidus suddenly starts remembering Shuyin's past (and possibly becoming Shuyin for certain time frames).  It's still in the thinking stages since I need to finish "Silver Wings" before I start a sequel, but if anyone is interested in a possible sequel to this story let me know in a review and I'll definitely start to plan it out and begin it right after I'm done with "Silver Wings".